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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Boko Haram (ranked 4510 p4p, 4625 weight class) and Turenai Sterling (ranked 0 p4p, 232 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Sterling's choice of entrance music: i will always love you. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.
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| 173 cm
18
139
0 - 0 - 0 |
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170 cm
18
135
0 - 0 - 0 |
BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin |
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BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Boko Haram!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Turenai Sterling!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, James Glass and Phil Schofield.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Sterling does no damage.
Haram throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sterling on the side of the head.
Sterling looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Haram wants to get back to his feet but Sterling is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Sterling controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sterling with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haram utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sterling scoring with punches to the head and body.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Haram is keeping the position for now.
Sterling is stalling in the full guard.
Sterling trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haram being controlled here, momentarily.
Sterling stands up and waves to Haram to follow him.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Haram works Sterling's body with a nice hook.
Sterling moves in looking to clinch but Haram pushes him off.
It looked like Haram wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Haram scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sterling with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Haram to score with a decent uppercut.
Haram punishes Sterling's body with a nice straight punch.
Nice body punch from Haram.
Sterling takes one on the button.
Jab from Haram.
Sterling is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
It looked like Haram was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Sterling.
Sterling fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Haram, pushing him back against the cage.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haram throws a punch but it's blocked by Sterling.
Haram lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Sterling tries to pull guard but Haram won't allow it.
Haram tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Haram lands a nice uppercut.
Haram lands an uppercut.
Haram misses with a body punch.
Haram misses with the head strike.
Sterling tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sterling slows down the pace here.
A short right from Haram.
Sterling is looking to break free of the clinch but Haram has double underhooks.
Sterling pulls guard effortlessly.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haram stopping the sweep attempt from Sterling.
Haram being controlled here momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haram wants to get up but he can't break Sterling's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sterling wants to sweep but no luck.
Haram is standing up over Sterling. Sterling looks to escape but Haram dives into side control.
Sterling is trying to buck Haram off.
Sterling is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Boko Haram dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.
A slow jab from Sterling misses its intended target.
Sterling showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Haram.
Sterling tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Sterling takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Haram moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Haram lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Boko Haram seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haram with a jab.
Haram scores with a decent looking hook.
Haram wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Sterling closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Haram did well to prevent Sterling getting side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sterling is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sterling trying to pass the guard but Haram defending well.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sterling sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Haram defending well though.
Haram wants to get back to his feet.
Sterling passes to side control.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Sterling tries to advance to mount but Haram denies him.
Haram wants to get back to his feet.
Sterling controlling the position from side mount.
Haram tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Haram can't do much from the bottom here.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterling decides to stand back up. Sterling steps back and let's Haram get back to his feet.
Sterling is looking to clinch but Haram is avoiding it.
Sterling shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Sterling content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Haram is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Sterling can do to turn this around?
Let's hope that Sterling has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haram is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sterling scores with a couple of nice shots.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Sterling prevents Haram from standing back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sterling is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Sterling is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Turenai Sterling will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!
Haram connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Sterling momentarily.
Haram lands a nice shot that snaps Sterling's head back.
A decent looking cross lands there for Haram.
Haram lands a nice looking body shot.
Sterling takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sterling tries to clinch up.
Sterling takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Haram moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Haram blocks a jab.
Haram keeps the fight on the outside.
Nice body punch from Haram.
A momentary lapse in concentration from Haram enables Sterling to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Haram manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Haram is wriggling around but Sterling manages to pass to half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Haram is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Sterling uses his free foot to push down on Haram's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Haram.
Sterling lands a nice shot to the head.
Sterling lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Sterling working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Sterling content just to control the position here.
Haram slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sterling lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Sterling tries to stand and escape but Haram is controlling the position.
Sterling slows the pace down in half guard.
Sterling's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sterling is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Haram defends it well.
Sterling postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Haram to stand up.
Sterling closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sterling is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Haram knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haram being controlled for a moment.
Turenai Sterling has got the better of the ground game so far.
Haram is trying to improve his position.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Turenai Sterling.
I think Sterling has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.
Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:29
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Turenai Sterling!
Turenai Sterling seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
38% |
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